Briquet's syndrome, dissociation, and abuse.

OBJECTIVE: To help clarify the complex association between childhood abuse and adult psychopathology, the authors examined the relationship among abuse, Briquet's syndrome (somatization disorder), and dissociative symptoms. METHOD: Ninety-nine female psychiatric clinic outpatients with a history of somatic complaints were assessed for Briquet's syndrome, dissociative symptoms, adult and childhood sexual abuse, childhood physical abuse, and childhood emotional abuse. RESULTS: Women with high dissociation scores and many somatic symptoms were more likely to report abuse than were subjects with low dissociation scores or with few somatic complaints. CONCLUSIONS: Briquet's syndrome, dissociation, and abuse are significantly associated. Awareness of this association may have a significant effect on the treatment of psychiatric patients.

Pathologic hair-pulling: a review of the literature and case reports.

Pathologic hair-pulling (trichotillomania) has been described in the dermatologic and psychiatric literature for the last century, but has become the focus of increased attention in the last few years. Once thought to be either a wholly benign condition or a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder, more recently hair-pulling has been noted in the context of numerous types of psychopathology, and has been reported to respond to several different types of intervention, both psychological and somatic. Estimates of its prevalence have varied widely. Because of the disparate conclusions of the literature on this condition, a more careful assessment of diagnostic validity is recommended.